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Statement of the problem: <br /> Given the information detailed above, please describe the problem your proposed project <br /> will address. <br /> By June 2006 the City of Decatur has already had eight murders, four of them being directly connected <br /> with gangs/drugs. Two individuals were shot to death in the middle of Main Street. Earlier in the <br /> evening, one of the victims shot at other gang members in the parking lot of a busy convenient store. <br /> This shooting was captured on surveillance video. Firearms were also used in the other two gang/drug <br /> murders. So far in 2006, there have been 682 calls for service indicating"unlawful use of weapons." <br /> Also, there have been 57 "shootings with intended victims." Lack of cooperation in the gang/drug <br /> incidents is the norm. The other four murders are solved. <br /> In 2005, there were nine murders. Six murders were directly related to gangs and/or drugs with <br /> firearms being used in all six. There were also 997 calls for service indicating"unlawful use of <br /> weapons."This is a 35% increase over 2004. In 2005, there were 70 "shootings with intended <br /> victims"which is a 63% increase over the previous year. <br /> In 2004, there were five murders. Three of the five murders were directly related to gangs and/or <br /> drugs with firearms being used in all three murders. Also, there were 740 calls for service indicating <br /> "unlawful use of weapons."43 "shootings with intended victims"reports were taken in 2004. <br /> The street gangs control the crack cocaine, heroin and cannabis trade in Decatur. Home invasions and <br /> drug"rip offs"take place and go unreported unless shots were fired and neighbors call the police. The <br /> street gangs are mainly divided into three groups; the Gangster Disciples, the Vice Lords and the local <br /> street corner gangs. The Gangster Disciples include"The Tennesseans"which have been around for <br /> several years and are involved in many of the recent shootings but have had several of their key figures <br /> murdered in the last couple of years. The Vice Lords include the Latin Kings, the Black P. Stones and <br /> the Moe's (Moorish Americans). The Moe's have been the main source of violence with"The <br /> Tennesseans."The final group of gangs consists of simple street corner drug dealers. Examples of <br /> these groups/gangs are; the Leafland Street Boyz, the East Side Boyz, the Haworth/West Side and the <br /> Maffit/John Street Boyz or Moes's. Detective Carl Carpenter is compiling gang information on a daily <br /> basis and will have a great deal of knowledge on Decatur gangs. <br /> The Decatur Police Department's Street Crimes Unit conducted 450 narcotic search warrants in 2003, ' <br /> 2004, 2005; seizing 2,390 grams of crack cocaine, 14,092 grams of powder cocaine, 288,806 grams of ' <br /> cannabis, 1,033 grams of heroin, 1,716 grams of ineth, and 162 firearms. The Decatur Police <br /> Department made 710 drug related arrests in 2004 and 693 drug related arrests in 2005. <br /> Project implementation: <br /> Please describe the proposed project in detail, including information on the required <br /> staffing and qualifications of project staff, as well as the contractual services, equipment <br /> and other resources necessary to implement this project. <br /> 4 <br />